What is social media advertising?
Social media ads are native formats within the major social networks, such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Quora, Reddit, and others. They leverage the large troves of data coming from registered users of these platforms.
How do social media ads work?
Social media ads function within the walled gardens of major social media platforms. Employing native formats by design, they combine text, images, and video assets in predefined templated formats. Large amounts of user data are leveraged to deliver some of the most precise targeting in the world of digital advertising.
Social media formats
Native ads
Ads in social media follow the format of native rich media creatives. They often include pictures and video combined with text and a strong CTA.
Carousels
Carousels incorporate cards with different images that can be scrolled horizontally to provide more “flavor” to the brand message or tell a story.
Dynamic ads
Dynamic ads are based on feeds with product data. They contain fresh pricing and availability and are automatically updated based on changes in inventory.
Remarketing ads
Remarketing ads fall into multiple categories, but they are often product ads based on the browsing activity of users.
Walled Gardens
Social media platforms compete against each other for user base and engagement. The war between them is more aggressive than ever, and they often appropriate the media and ad formats of each other. The advertising metrics within social media are often difficult to check, with very little data flowing outside of their walled gardens.
Why advertise on social media?
Expand your organic presence
Social media advertising expands the organic presence of the brand and has become inevitable for major brands and startups alike.
Drive brand recognition
Social media ads have great viewability since they’re mostly seen on personal mobile devices, and enhance the presence of a brand.
Increase engagement
Users typically browse social media during their spare time, when they are relaxed, receptive, and more likely to engage with a brand.
Target precisely
Advertising in social media allows advertisers to target specific customers with relevant products.
